Blood Sport for the All American Girl

"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?”

Mr. Bennet, upon reading Lizzy the letter from Mr. Collins, which hints that she may be engaged to Mr. Darcy and warns them that Lady Catherine will never approve
Pride & Prejudice, Volume 3, Chapter 15

So I read a book for my much loved book club. The book was simultaneously the easiest and hardest read. On reflection, I have to give it a very solid, porch swing worthy recommendation. The book is "Big Little Lies", by Liane Moriarty.

More about the book in a moment - I will tie all of this together, wrapped up in the threads of life.

"Now I know I'm just here to amuse you

And I don't mean to abuse you

But if I could just use you one time 

Tell me what it's like

To be the queen of it all

The Neiman Marcus of the Mall

And tell me what it's like to be the one and only

All American Girl"

Train, "All American Girl"

I find myself reflecting on the passage of time. Our oldest son will finish high school in May. We're wrapped up in college decisions, and majors, and the younger son is only one year behind, plus my goddaughter has decided to go to college at my own alma mater. At times I feel like my head peeked out from a cocoon and the time/space continuum warped me - or something like that. So I was thinking last week that I should focus on what I WON'T miss when the boys have gone off to college. You know, the dishes, the tracked in dirt, the car lines, the Queen Bees, and along came this book. 

"At the gas station, I think she pretended not to see me." 

"It felt like every parent was secretly observing their conversation. This must be what it felt like to be famous."

"Not here, you idiot. Let's not talk about family business with sharp-eared mothers all around us."

"The Blond Bobs hurrying about looking very involved and important as they did each Friday morning."

"It would already be on Facebook."

"Give me a vicious corporate takeover any day."

Yes - along came this book. I'm betting that I don't have to go into much more detail then the quotes...because I'm betting you now know what sport I reference. It's the blood sport of motherhood. It's mildly amusing that once I got a grip on how little the Queen Bees opinion of me should count, I have very little sighting of them anymore. But this book brought back many delightful memories woven with a thread of humor, and a reminder - don't trust what YOU DON'T KNOW to be true.

So to the moms out there still in the running of the moms which bears an eerie resemblance to the running of the bulls in Pamplona - You are a champion. Read the book - You are not alone. Good luck - but you don't need it. Their opinions don't matter, trust me.